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Posted by sp on June 19, 2001 at 19:13:02:
In Reply to: Re: help half-sister to immigrate posted by Zapadenecj on June 19, 2001 at 16:06:03:
Dear Tatiana,
Though she is your "half-sister", she is still considered to be a "sister" for the immigration purposes, as long as you can prove that you have at least one common parent. INS cannot deny her case only based on her age, however you must prove that you can fully support her, since INS will assume that she won't be able to work in the US.
Unfortunately, sisters/brothers immigrate in the category with the lowest priority (4th prefference), so now INS is processing applications that were filed in Oct. 1989! (there are no differences for Ukrainian or Russian citizens). In order for your sister to obtain a visa number you need to file INS Form I-130 with the INS, but remeber that it might take more than 10-15 years for her to immigrate in this way, and it might be pretty hard for her to obtain a visitor's visa to come and see you during that time.
I'd suggest that you consult an attorney on this, maybe he can suggest a faster way for her to immigrate. American Immigration Lawyers Association (www.aila.org) can give you a reference to a reputable and affordable attorney in your area.